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Posts Tagged ‘suspended in dusk 2’

Suspended In Dusk II has finally arrived! I’m very pleased with this anthology. The paperback edition is one of the nicest and most well-made small press books I’ve ever held in my hot little hands. Special thanks go to Grey Matter Press for its lovely production!

The anthology features an introduction from the amazing Angela Slatter and stories from:

If you decide to pick up a copy, please consider leaving an honest review on Amazon and Good Reads, if you use it. Reviews can help sales, which in turn allow publishers and creatives to keep creating fiction and content you’ll enjoy!

The Suspended in Dusk 2 anthology was picked up by a new publisher, Grey Matter Press. As with part 1 of the series, Suspended in Dusk 2 is anthology of horror and dark fiction that continues examines themes of change and the moments between the light and the dark.

I’m very thrilled to announce that January 2018 will see the publication of Suspended in Dusk 2.

Just check out this sexy terrifying cover, created by the incredibly talented Dean Samed:

The book features and fantastic introduction from British Fantasy Award and World Fantasy award winning author Angela Slatter, in addition to 17 stories from some of the best horror and dark fiction writers today.

I just sent this to Books of the Dead Press via email and will be sending it to their last-known mailing address via registered mail. I have also decided to post this here to ensure that the message is recieved.

—–

Dear Roy,

I’m writing to you to express my sheer frustration and bewilderment at the lack of communication over the last few months. I’ve tried contacting you several times and have not received any response to my attempts at contact since October 1.

I signed Suspended in Dusk 2 with you on September 12, 2015. On July 4, I gave you a fully-edited, triple proofread manuscript of an anthology featuring stories from some of the best names in the business. You told me that the book would be released “in a couple of months”. On October 1 2016, you told me the book would not be released until Q1 2017. The author contracts have now expired and publication of Suspended in Dusk 2 with Books of the Dead is no longer feasible. The headlining authors such as Stephen Graham Jones and Damien Angelica Walters have resold their work elsewhere and they would not re-sign with Books of the Dead Press given a year has gone by and the anthology was never published. This hasn’t just tarnished your reputation, it has tarnished my reputation and credibility as a professional editor to some of the best names in the horror fiction business. I have already emailed you about this, and it is coming up to 3 months since your last email to me.

To make matters worse, your website has disappeared too and I’ve been fielding emails from the writers published by BOTD who are trying to work out if BOTD even exists anymore and what is happening with their books which they’re not getting royalties for but which are still being sold on Amazon etc.

In addition to the failure of Suspended in Dusk 2, each royalty payment I’ve received from Books of the Dead for Suspended in Dusk has been progressively closer to the “no later than 160 days from the end of the period” stipulated in my contract. It has now been 168 days since the end of Q2 and I still have not received payment, as per the aforementioned paragraph of the contract.

I have lost faith in Books of the Dead Press to adhere to and fulfil the contract for Suspended in Dusk 1 and the contract for Suspended in Dusk 2 has been made completely redundant by the lack of communication and action from yourself which has resulted in the lapse of all the author contracts and the sale of their fiction to other markets. The virtual disappearance of your presence in social media, the disappearance of your website and the disappearance of royalty payments within the contractually agreed time period leaves me no choice as to my actions. I regret to say that I am—without delay and on the basis of there being no “notice of default and right to cure” clause in the contract requiring me to grant you time to correct this—reclaiming my rights to both Suspended in Dusk 1 and 2. I will be requesting that Amazon remove Suspended in Dusk from their site and I will send you this as a letter via registered mail to the one address that ANY of the books of the dead authors have for you:

Books of the Dead

c/o James Roy Daley

742 Pascoe Crt.,

Oshawa, On,

Canada, L1K 1S9

I will also put the contents of this letter of this letter on my blog, in the hope that you have received this message.

I don’t know why you’ve disappeared. Maybe you’ve had some life or health problem that you needed to take care of. It happens to all of us and I genuinely hope you’re well—but I can’t do business with you and I need to take my work to someone who is visible, communicative, is paying as per my contract and who actually has their hand on the tiller.

To celebrate the impending release of Suspended in Dusk 2, Books of the Dead Press have decided to give a free ebook copy of Suspended in Dusk 2 – upon release – to anyone who writes an Amazon.com review of Suspended in Dusk between October 29 2015 and the time of the SiD 2 release. All readers need to do is email Books of the Dead Press (besthorror@gmail.com) and let us know which review is yours.

Suspended in Dusk 2 is in final stages of editing and should be released in the next couple of months.

I’ve checked out on all of that, seriously struggling to give a fuck about any of it beyond a generalised and helpless kind of sadness and concern for Kelly Laymon and the other affected victims of sexual assault and fraud. Whether people are being nice or naughty, treating each other well or poorly, whether they’re having fun or not, whether they’re being successful or failing… It’s freaking great to not know about it, and more importantly to not give a fuck about it either.

A corollary of that is, I’m taking a well-deserved break from social media.

I’m not quite The Man who Walked Away from Facebook (no one has stolen my horse yet!!), however stepping off the merry-go-round has allowed me to become far more productive. I’m aware of some things that are going on in the horror/writing world and am maintaining some level of contact with some people. If you feel you need to speak to me, email me.

Note: I have no updates on the RJ Cavender scandal. No further news from Indiegogo than that they’re investigating whether the campaigns. RJ Cavender’s Indiegogo campaign site are still live. I have received no word from Stanley Hotel or Winchester mystery house and no response to the long emails I sent both. Well, I threw that shit at the wall and it seems like nothing has actually stuck, so I’ve turned my attention to other things which are more interesting and better for my mental health.

In the last week:

I’ve sent edits to 3 authors for Suspended in Dusk 2. I have a small number of edits left before proof reading begins and I finally compile the final manuscript and send it to Books of the Dead Press.

I have sent three lots of edits, and 1 manuscript assessment and suggested markets for story submission, to people who bought edits out of the StokerCon or Bust fundraising campaign for Marni Molina. Marni is probably at Las Vegas or landing there now, ready to enjoy a weekend away, maybe learn some things, catch up with old friends, network with new ones.

I have written several thousand words of an essay on nailing the start of a new short story. The essay will be published in the next few weeks and will include quotes from some fantastic authors and editors and my own general spin on things.

I have received my royalty statements letting me know that I’m still selling roughly 750 (mostly ebook) copies of Suspended in Dusk a quarter. This is encouraging because, I’m quite proud of that book; there’s lots of great stories in there; I’m very happy that some of the less established authors are getting “exposure” (heh.) to a wide reading audience via my book—one that was released in 2014! (Note: The publisher did also pay them money.)

I feel like I’ve levelled up a bit with my editing or have certainly attained a greater amount of confidence, especially in asking authors to make changes that I feel are necessary for a story. Ultimately, this is good for both me and the authors.

I’m super pleased with this new direction and I’m happy that Suspended in Dusk 2 is moving more swiftly towards its final published state.

I’ve been waiting for a while release the table of contents for Suspended in Dusk 2 but all the contracts are in and my hands have been unshackled. There were a couple of changes to the line up. Unfortunately, Mercedes Yardley and Nikki Guerlain wont be joining us due to other commitments. I do very much hope to work with them both soon on future projects. As sad as that is, there are some fantastic new additions to the line up whose work I am thrilled to be including in the anthology.

So, without further ado, and in no particular order,…

Suspended in Dusk 2 – Table of Contents

Introduction by Angela Slatter

Deadman’s Road by Joe R. Lansdale

The Mournful Cry of Owls by Christopher Golden

The Immortal Dead by JC Michael

That Damned Cat by Nerine Dorman

Another World by Ramsey Campbell

Angeline by Karen Runge

Mother of Shadows by Benjamin Knox

Love is a Cavity I Can’t Stop Touching by Stephen Graham Jones

Crying Demon by Alan Baxter

The Sundowners by Damien Angelica Walters

Still Life with Natalie by Sarah Read

Riptide by Dan Rabarts

Dealing in Shadows by Annie Neugebauer

There’s no light between floors by Paul Tremblay

Editing continues apace and I’m looking forward to receiving some cover art soon, which I’ll no doubt share in due course!

This book features a few Easter eggs for readers too:

Mother of Shadows by Benjamin Knox is a continuation of the story from the original Suspended in Dusk anthology, A Keeper of Secrets. Ben and I worked hard to ensure it reads very fine as its own standalone tale, but readers of the first anthology should be enjoy the continuation of this story.

In what is becoming a Suspended in Dusk tradition, I’ve included a story which is dark yet also quite humorous, Nerine Dorman’s That Damned Cat.

Lastly, there are several fantastic art pieces by the incredibly talented artist Aaron Dries, which will appear exclusively in the paperback version of the anthology.

I am very happy with how this book is shaping up and I know there will be something for all horror readers and readers of dark fiction within these pages.

I’m here to drip feed you some exciting news regarding Suspended in Dusk 2 (forthcoming from Books of the Dead Press, mid 2016). The open submission period for 2 spots in the table of contents closes tomorrow and so I’ve yet to choose those particular stories, but I can confirm the following authors will feature stories in Suspended in Dusk 2:

Much to my delight, the anthology will be introduced by the British Fantasy Award and World Fantasy Award winning author, Angela Slatter.

In addition, the paperback edition of Suspended in Dusk 2 will feature 5 interior illustrations by the seriously talented artist of the macabre, Aaron Dries. I’ve just received Aaron’s illustration of Stephen Graham Jones’ story in my inbox and I’m really blown away. If all goes to plan I’ll share one of the images on my blog before the book goes to print so you can get a peek at what’s in store.

Final announcement regarding the stories chosen from the open submission will be made by the end of March 2016. In addition, any other tricks I have up my sleeve will be announced at the same time.

I am pleased to announce, Books of the Dead Press is opening 2 spots for stories in the Suspended in Dusk 2 anthology in an open submission.

Writing Prompts/Examples:

If you’re curious about what might be suitable I recommend checking out Suspended in Dusk, which is currently only 99 cents on Amazon. Here.

Show me something that plays on the theme of light/dark (Wendy Hammer did this in the original Suspended in Dusk with her story Negatives) , or don’t… show me a person, people, society on the edge of the proverbial abyss (Chris Limb did this with Ministry of Outrage). Show me a story of someone on the grey fringes of normal society (Karen Runge, Hope is Here!). Show me a person, or people undergoing some kind of change,.. willing or otherwise. Knowing or otherwise (Shane Mckenzie, Fit Camp). Show me something that is brought into the light, but everyone would’ve been safer if it had been left alone where it was (Benjamin Knox, Keeper of Secrets).

Submission Guidelines:

1. Try and scare me or creep me out. Or show me something dark and pretty. No subject off limits although try and make sex and violence relevant to the plot and characters. If you’re going with a common trope, put a fresh spin on it.

2. Submit all stories to simon.dewar83@gmail.com with the following in the subject line Suspended in Dusk 2 – <Author Name> – <Story Name>

To celebrate the release of Suspended in Dusk 2 next year, Books of the Dead Press have decided to give a free ebook copy of Suspended in Dusk 2 – upon the day of release – to anyone who writes an Amazon.com review of Suspended in Dusk between now and the time of the SiD 2 release. All readers need to do is email Books of the Dead Press (besthorror@gmail.com) and let us know which review is yours.